Ivan Penzecoff

Gentleman Jim Lewis said (plug alert ... see the latest tribute) he helped train Ivan and agreed to be his first opponent. So I think you can take that as Ivan's debut was against our Jim.

He's just had a new Heritage tribute

Has an excellent match versus Bobby Barnes on You Tube

Amazing amount of info as always. Thanks so much Guys!

Odd to see him opposing Czeslaw in Chelmsford above as it was the very time when they were partners as The Iron Curtain Duo.

I remember Penzy as The India Rubber Man, and he certainly played the part in the ring.

But the central question is a good one: as a demonic bearded sixties villain certainly seemed headed places; but right from the start of the seventies he seemed to settle down as a perennial undercarder, and his style also mellowed, just to adapt to the style of his opponent. I wonder what was going on.

Here is another two from 1960. Penzecoff seems to have started as an Independent.

1

And still Independent in 1961 with Johnny Saint and the mystery man Jock Burke again,

Love it Paul...terrific anecdotes....But just when the mystery seemed to be solved I found something. They did also try him as Igor in the Russell Club

Ronnie apart from being a great worker was also one of the funniest guys Iv ever met,I recall him being approached by two slightly drunk lads on piccadily Manchester who wanted to know where abouts in Russia he was from in his best Soviet accent he replied Vesthoughtonski when they asked was that nr Moscow he replied no cock it's tother side of Atherton. Another occasion I think.at Wembley two lads were discussing Kendo going off joints,he told them joint were looking for a new masked man,he said to one your ideal see Judd he'll arrange a vet to remove the finger.i think he started in 61 and Johnny foley was involved

This genuine hard lad who loved a drink dog training and windups was a product of Chanters Colliery and is very mucked missed.The Iron curtain connection his grandmother was Latvian

Earliest bout I can find for Ivan Penzecoff is April 1962, in Chester, he won against Mickey Gold (Count Bartelli beat Ernie Riley in the headliner), not sure if this was his first bout or not.

Thank you Hack. And of course my good friend Adrian the man of a thousand posters! Let me know all about the Kendo day when you’ve done it, and tell him I’m coming for him...Definitely be there next time as he only lives about half an hour from me

A baddie, but the sort of baddie to like. A good value for money wrestler who seemed to be in good matches but always a supporting role.

Thanks Mate. Your wrestling knowledge is a lot better than mine!

Ronald Pennington from Bolton, who wrestled under that name with a sort of Russian gimmick (based on his looks). Black hair, black moustache like a Mexican bandit, always a bit of a villain, but I am working from memory. Middleweight or maybe slightly larger. I don't remember him winning any sort of title. I seem to remember him usually facing the The Royal Brothers, either in single or tag team action, but I am sure others can fill in with more (and better!) detail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AFyE1ez3ZE

He ended up in Stampede Wrestling in Canada (Stu Hart's promotion) as Cedric Hathaway, between 1982 and 1984 (dates might not be 100% accurate), having a long running battle with fellow Brit, John Foley (as "J.R. Foley", based on JR in the TV show Dallas!), and when not facing Foley in singles action, facing him in two and three man tag matches, with Penzecoff siding with the good guys (the Hart brothers) usually against Foley, Dynamite Kid and others.

Eventually siding with Dynamite and Davey Boy, and that pretty much seems to have been the end of his career in the ring as an active wrestler.

He continued as a referee, but appears to have been one of those who sided with the villains at all times.

Here he is as a referee in Canada, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf73uJgttd8